lych, lyche and lyke) is attested as far back as around 900 and the last citation given with this more general meaning is from around 1400. However, the last citation with the meaning of 'corpse' is from 1895. The word is used in compounds such as lych-gate, lych-owl (so called because its screeching was thought to forebode death) and lyke-wake (the watch kept over a dead body at night). The word is etymologically akin to like, so its original meaning is thought to be 'form', 'shape'. (See also: feorhbold, feorhhold, feorhhus, līcfæt, līchoma.) Compare with the following words in other languages for 'corpse': German Leiche, Dutch lijk, Swedish lik, Norwegian lik and Danish lig. līcfæt, līchoma: 'body'. (See also: feorhbold, feorhhold, feorhhus, līc.) Compare with German Leichnam ('corpse'), Dutch lichaam, Swedish lekamen, Nynorsk lekam and Danish legeme. lið: 'joint', 'limb'. Lið (later spelled lith) is attested as early as around 900 and the latest citation in the OED is 1872. The OED considers all modern occurrences to be archaic or dialectal. However, the phrase "life and limb" may be an altered form of an earlier "lith and limb"; cf. "kith and kin". Compare with German Glied, Dutch lid, Swedish led, Danish led and Norwegian ledd. midhriðre: 'diaphragm'. nebb: 'face'. The OED gives the modern definitions of the Scottish, Irish English, Northern English for neb, such as 'bird's beak' and 'an animal's nose', but the last citation given with the meaning 'a person's face' is from 1525. (See also: ondwlita, onsīen.) Compare English ness ('promontory'), Dutch neb ('beak'). ōcusta, ōxn: 'armpit'. Armpit first appeared in English as arme-pytt around 1400. The former is now used dialectally as oxter ('armpit', 'arm'), and it is probably akin to axle. Compare with German Achsel, Dutch oksel, Swedish axel (shoulder), Norwegian aksel (shoulder). ondwlita: 'face'. (See also: nebb, onsīen.) Compare with German Antlitz, Swedish anlete. onsīen: 'face' (See also: nebb, ondwlita.) Compare with German (An)gesicht, Dutch aangezicht. ōxn: 'armpit'. (See also: ōcusta.) setl: 'anus'. (See also: earsgang, ūtgang.) teors: 'penis'. (See also: wæpen.) Penis, which did not enter English until 1578, was borrowed directly from Latin. ūtgang: 'anus'. Literally 'exit', 'out-path', (See also: earsgang, setl.) Compare German Ausgang, Dutch uitgang ('exit'). wæpen: 'penis'. (See also: teors.) wiðobān: 'collarbone'. Colours æppelfealu: 'orange'. Literally 'apple-pale'. (See also: geolurēad.) basurēadan: 'purple'. Literally 'purple-red'. (See also: weolucbasu.) geolurēad: 'orange'. Literally 'yellow-red'. (See also: æppelfealu.) weolucbasu: 'purple'. Literally 'whelk-purple'. (See